Content service providers, such as cable television (CATV) service providers, typically provide their customers with one or more set-top boxes and/or set-back boxes for connection to their home television sets or other display devices. A set-top box or set-back box (the “set-top/back box”) is defined herein as an information appliance device that can be connected between a television set or other display device and an external signal source for converting signals carried on one or more channels into content that is displayable on the television set or other display device. Whereas a set-top box is typically located on top of or below a television set or other display device, a set-back box generally has a smaller form factor that allows it to be mounted to the back of the television set/display device and hidden from view. The set-top/back boxes can each be connected to a respective one of the television sets/display devices, which may be located in the same rooms or different rooms of the customers' homes.
Such content service providers typically further provide a separate remote control device for controlling each set-top/back box provided to their customers. Each remote control device can be programmed to control a specific set-top/back box. Alternatively, a single remote control device can be programmed to control multiple set-top/back boxes. To program a remote control device to control a respective set-top/back box, a customer typically operates the remote control device, causing it to send a pairing signal to the set-top/back box. Upon receipt of the pairing signal, the set-top/back box can perform a pairing procedure with the remote control device, configuring itself to receive and accept subsequent control signals (also referred to herein as “commands”) from the remote control device, such as commands to turn the set-top/back box “on” and “off”, to change channels on the set-top/back box, to access special features provided by the set-top/back box, etc. The control signals transmitted by the remote control device can be line-of-sight control signals such as infrared (IR) control signals, and/or non-line-of-sight control signals such as radio frequency (RF) control signals. Once the pairing procedure is completed, the customer can use the remote control device to control only that particular set-top/back box to which it has been paired.
However, conventional set-top/back boxes, remote control devices, and processes for pairing set-top/back boxes to remote control devices have several drawbacks. For example, while pairing a set-top/back box to a remote control device, a customer may be required to press one or more specified pushbutton sequences on the remote control device and/or input one or more specified numerical codes to the remote control device, making the process of pairing the set-top/back box to the remote control device complicated and confusing for the customer. Further, one or more of the customer's remote control devices may at times become lost or misplaced, requiring the customer to replace the remote control device(s) and repeat the complicated and confusing pairing process with the replacement device(s). Moreover, because the customer may have been provided with several remote control devices for controlling multiple set-top/back boxes in his or her home, incorrect pairings of the set-top/back boxes to the respective remote control devices may result in one or more of the remote control devices controlling the wrong set-top/back box or boxes located in either the same room or different rooms, depending on whether line-of-sight IR control signals or non-line-of-sight RF control signals are employed by the respective remote control devices.